Clothing And The Steady Drop Of The Pound: Your American Guide To Shopping Brexit

The UK is leaving the EU, and the pound is plunging! Let's shop!

Note: this was written on 6/27/2016, and as such reflects the exchange rate of £1 GBP = $1.32 USD. This is (obviously) subject to change as the value of the pound continues to drop.

To say people were shocked by the 'leave' vote is a bit of an understatement. The United Kingdom has been a member of the European Union since 1973, and enjoyed the benefits that came along with that— open travel in other member states, a shared economy, and a system that encouraged a sense of community. Unfortunately, a prevailing culture of xenophobia and nationalism encouraged 'leave' voters, and landed the UK in a messy political and economic situation. The vote was very close, with 48% voting to stay and 52% wanting to leave the EU.

Of course, that's all just dirty politics. Let's focus on the issue of real importance here— shopping. Everyone knew the pound was going to drop, but actually seeing it happen is a different experience altogether. As of writing this article, the pound is worth $1.32 USD, a significant drop from the original $1.50. And it's only going to continue to plummet.

The implications of this, other than an economic crisis for our British neighbors, is that we get to buy UK-based goods for that much cheaper. So for those of us that are fans of Topshop or other British brands, this is a chance for some terrifying-economic-disaster shopping.

Let's take a look!

1. Topshop

topshop.com

The English brand of English brands. Topshop is a well-known high street brand that has graced both of the Obama girls. They’re even hawking Beyoncé’s new workout line Ivy Park, which you can snag at an even cheaper price than your friends buying from the US. You’re going to have to set your website to EU in order to get the fun, slowly-dropping-pound based discounts. For example, on the US website, this bodysuit is $50. On the EU website? £26.00, AKA $34.37 at the new exchange rate. That’s a whole $15.63 that David Cameron has saved us by allowing this vote!

The important thing to keep in mind here is that you still need to pay shipping. The trick is to buy enough stuff that ultimately, money saved outweighs your shipping costs. Even better, if you spend more than £100 ($132.18 with the new exchange rate), shipping is completely free.

2. Whistles

whistles.com

With shipping for £7, ($9.25 USD), it doesn’t take much spending to earn your money back. Whistles is also currently running a 50% off sale on top of the ridiculous savings from the pound steadily moving towards worthlessness. A lot of their clothing is aimed towards women in their mid-20’s, with a fun mixture of summery dresses and professional-looking pantsuits and blazers. This dress is $340 USD when shopping in US. In the UK? £180.00, or $239.19 with the new exchange rate. If you’re the kind of person that spends over $200 on a dress, you’re in luck! And for orders over £200, shipping is completely free.

3. New Look

newlook.com

Students get 10% off, first-time newsletter recipients get 20% off, and everybody saves as the pound continues to drop! Shipping is free on orders over £55 ($72.48 USD), but if you’re not planning on getting that much, you can pay the £7.50 shipping ($9.88 USD). New Look is mainly geared towards women, but also offers clothing for men and teens, as well as a well-stocked plus-size collection.

4. Asos

asos.com

This brand is a little more streetwear-heavy than the previous ones, but still has it’s share of both festival-wear and work-appropriate clothing. They offer brands like Free People, Calvin Klein, French Connection, and countless other retailers. There’s such a ridiculous amount of stuff on this website. Lipstick? Check. Lingerie? Check. You can even buy your wedding dress on here, if you want to get hitched in British blood money. Shipping is listed only in USD, even though you can still ship to the US through their UK website. (Weird.) Shipping is $4, and free when you spend over $40. Asos also boasts a 10% off deal for students, so you can save that much more.

This is only a brief list of my favorite British brands. There is no shortage of shops out there, all suffering from the continued drop of their main currency. It's worth keeping in mind that good things come to those who wait— the pound will likely continue to drop as time goes on, which means that merchandise from these brands will only get cheaper. And in the end, isn't that what it's all about? It's okay that the UK is encouraging a culture of closed borders, of racism and xenophobia— as long as we get our shoes.